Current AffairsMEP Libor Rouček in Ukraine: what is at stake is the country’s unity and economic survival

The eyes of the world are on Ukraine where a new political leadership is
forming in the aftermath of the bloody revolution that ousted former
president Viktor Yanukovich from power. Czech MEP Libor Roucek is part of
a
European Parliament delegation currently negotiating with the key
political
players in Kiev. I spoke to Mr. Rouček over the phone on Monday and first
enquired about the situation in the city.

Kiev, photo: CTK
“The situation in Kiev is calm. There are still protesters at the Maidan
and they will likely stay there but the situation in the city is calm.
Today is Monday, a normal working day, so you see people going to work
using their private cars, public transport or walking. But the situation
is
calm. As far as politics is concerned the times are really hectic, because
within a couple of days they have to set up a government, what is at stake
of course is the unity of the country but what is also at stake is to
prevent the country’s financial collapse. The situation is not good. We
just heard from Mr. Jacenyuk, the likely next prime minister, that before
the end of February the country needs four billion dollars otherwise it
will go bankrupt.”

You are there as an MEP –what can the European Union offer Ukraine
now
to help the country?

“Today the EU foreign policy chief Ms. Ashton will visit Kiev and she
will come with a financial offer, but what is needed is to have a stable
government, a government which will introduce reforms which will be
painful
of course, the government will need to raise taxes and cut subsidies which
will be painful for the Ukrainian people, but this is necessary otherwise
the country will go bankrupt.”

Can the EU offer enough for the country not to turn to Russia for
help as
an alternative?

Libor Rouček, photo: Czech Television
“I think what is needed is concerted action by both the European Union
and the IMF but also Russia has to participate by at least keeping prices
on the level that was agreed with the former president Yanukovich. Because
if gas prices were to go up the situation would be even worse or if
Gasprom
were to demand the repayment of a 2 billion dollar debt –money which
Ukraine does not have – the problems would deepen. “

Who are you actually negotiating with there right now?

“We just met with the new head of state, the speaker of Parliament Mr.
Oleksander Turchinov, this morning we also met Mr. Arseniy Jacenyuk, last
nigh we had dinner with Mr. Klitschko –so we are talking to the major
players. Also with Mr. Poroshenko, one of the new important players in the
country today. “

Is it clear who is in charge and are they cooperating?

“Yes, they are cooperating. In charge is Mr. Turchinov who is not only
speaker of the house but yesterday Parliament gave him the powers of the
head of state.
The new government should be formed within a day or two…so that’s
where we are …it is a revolutionary situation –everything is moving
fast as we discuss it, but the situation is pressing and they have to move
fast.”

I understand that you were also going to meet with opposition leader
Yulia
Tymoshenko. Did that meeting take place?

Yulia Tymoshenko, photo: CTK
“We were supposed to meet with Yulia Tymoshenko but she is not in the
best state of health so to say, she is also visiting her mother in
Dnepropetrovsk and I also think that after she came to Kiev and addressed
the Maidan she is now considering what to do, she has to make herself more
familiar with the current situation because she spent two and a half years
in jail and the situation changed during that time.”

The former president Viktor Yanukovich has disappeared somewhere in
the
eastern part of the country – do we know anything of his whereabouts?

“The former president has disappeared and just over an hour ago the new
interior minister issued an international warrant for his arrest and
according to some sources he is in Crimea in a place called Balaklava.”